The automobile industry is constantly developing systems and methods for encouraging and assisting automobile owners towards maintaining the automobile in good repair. For instance, some automobiles are equipped with warning lights or messages to remind the automobile owner of preventive maintenance schedules. Moreover, all automobiles are initially provided with gauges or warning devices that concern the state of at least the most essential engine components, fluids, and electrical sources to name a few.
In addition to providing technology encouraging wear-related repair and maintenance, automobile manufacturers will notify automobile owners of recall information. For instance, if post manufacturing tests or reports reveal common safety-related defects in a particular automobile model, the manufacturer will typically notify the owner of such defects and will provide information on where and how to replace the defective equipment. Manufacturers typically send such notifications to the last known owner using a mail carrier such as the U.S. Postal Service. However, since automobiles are frequently sold or otherwise exchanged after their initial sale, safety recall notifications are frequently sent to prior owners. Also, if an owner moves or travels for long periods of time, safety recall notifications may be received by the owner after the subject automobile equipment has already failed even if the notifications were mailed well in advance of the equipment failure. Furthermore, even if the owner receives the safety recall notification in advance of equipment failure, some owners disregard the notification or procrastinate taking the automobile in for repair before the subject equipment fails, often causing associated equipment failures that are even more costly to repair.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and associated methods for ensuring efficient safety recall notification delivery and responses. In addition, it is desirable to providing reliable methods for delivering such notifications. It is further desirable to provide technology that can prevent automobile equipment from failure during the time between safety recall notification and subsequent repair. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.